Time right for Tigers to anoint Alex Rance as new skipper: David King (SEN)

[one-eyed]

Time right for Tigers to anoint new skipper: King

By Ben Casanelia
SEN
Feb 9, 2017

SEN footy analyst David King says its time Richmond made Alex Rance captain.

On the eve of what shapes as a career defining season for Tigers’ coach Damien Hardwick, and many in the football department given the sustained lack of success, King, who spent five years at the club as an assistant coach under Terry Wallace, rated Rance the club’s best leader.

“I’ve said this time and time again that I think Alex Rance is their best choice as captain,” King told The Run Home.

“The way Alex plays is team first, he hates to lose and he’s just a super competitor.

“I just think he would make a sensational captain.”

While stopping short of criticising incumbent skipper Trent Cotchin, the former North Melbourne premiership player said the club had developed superior options.

Cotchin took the reins from Chris Newman in 2013 but has been under constant fire for his style on and off the field.

He drew the ire of some Tiger fans by refusing to wear the famous No. 17 jumper of Jack Dyer after the club attempted to make it a tradition with each club captain.

“When Cotchin was named captain he was the logically choice,” King said.

“But right now they’ve got options.

“To me (Jack) Riewoldt and Rance are the best two leaders.

“When they need something to happen they are two players they look to. “Outside of that I think you’d struggled to find a player at the club you could say ‘yeah, he’s a super leader’.

King said it was almost unfathomable that Riewoldt has to this point not been part of the club’s leadership group.

“He’s an automatic for mine,” he said.

“There’s isn’t a person around that realistically doesn’t think Jack is leader around Richmond right now.”

The Tigers have not yet announced their leadership group for 2017.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/02/08/Time-right-for-tigers-to-anoint-new-skipper/

[Tiger Tragic]

King jumps on and off issues like a tour bus. But, in this case, I gotta agree with what he's saying. Rance and Jack have demonstrable passion for the club, play best against good teams and always lead from the front and stand up when we need them.

At the same time Cotch can focus on getting back to winning silky ball

[big tone]

I love Cotch and I have had many debates sticking up for him over the last couple of years but imo he isn't our best leader anymore. It's time for a change at the club. From the outside looking in, his captainacy seems manufactured. He has done everything he could have but it's time to hand it over to a more natural leader in Rance or Jack.
The club needs passion and having a captain with passion is a good start.

[Gracie]

Cotchin was a good leader in 2012 on the back of Tuck and Jackson getting the hard ball out to him.

It will be interesting to see with Caddy, Miles, Prestia and maybe Vlastuin getting the hard ball if this releases Cotchin to a more first receiver role and back towards 2012 form.

[lamington]

God I miss Tuck. Miles has been great at filling that initial void but our team got worked out pretty badly last year and predictability in the stoppages really killed the game of Miles and curbed the impact of Cotchin's disposals. I am with Gracie in that I wonder if having Caddy, Miles, Prestia and Vlastuin will help Cotchin blow a game open (think Vs Sydney a season or so ago when he carried the team over) on a more regular basis?

[MintOnLamb]

Tucky was great and tough at getting the ball, pity he was not a favourite.
Agree with Gracie, our options are better now, Miles copped a real pounding last year so maybe the additions will help him, I just hope he gets plenty of game time as he has a great work ethic and IMO is in our best 10, but fear Hardwick will send him to the 2s. I recall he took forever to promote him to the 1s.
Time will tell.
Happy to leave Cotch as captain but if change is required prefer Rance over Riewoldt. Jack has too much of the Richo dummy spit syndrome IMVHO

[FlashGordon]

After the debacle that was last year and the fall out from it, lets first concentrate on the important poo and the captaincy will take care of itself when we are at the point where it matters...David King is a muppet who has NFI on anything outside trying to promote his name in the media

[(•))(©™]

Poor Tucky.
Completely stuffed over by that loser coach.
Where were his mates?

[The Machine]

Tuck certainly was made to earn every single second of game time during his career but he loved every minute of it. He is a ripping guy who is having a great time of it over in that minnow state Adelaide. His old man tells me he is towelling up a few local hardnuts in the ring next up should be that flog big head Cornes

[Andyy]

Glad to see more love for Tuck. Bloke is one of my biggest heroes ever, up there with Broderick, Kingy, Rance and other hard footballers.

Copped a lot of flack for supporting him and Jackson but if you want football from around '10-'12 you can see our midfield was lightyears ahead of where it is now.

[(•))(©™]

Glad to see more love for Tuck. Bloke is one of my biggest heroes ever, up there with Broderick, Kingy, Rance and other hard footballers.

Copped a lot of flack for supporting him and Jackson but if you want football from around '10-'12 you can see our midfield was lightyears ahead of where it is now.

Tucky is a legend, regardless of how much Hardwick tried to kill him